Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-04-11
Servant Girls i'm Paris.

You know the prOver5, go to tie
ant, etc, writes a Paris correspond
ent of the Brooklyn Eagle. The French
have often been compared to this IN
dustrious little animal, and in many
regards the comparison is Just. Now
American women will do well 10 90 To
the French lady ant, but for the oppo-
site reason for which the French slug
gard was sent there; go to her to learn
moderation, calm thrift, and especially
TO learn the lesson of not straining
their nervous endurance in trying To
make two and two make five in house
keeping ostentation.
The French woman does not UNDER
take. the command of more servants
than she can manage, nor does she try
to make two servants do the work of
four; she simplifies her housekeeping
to her needs. to her income, TO the
size of her family, so that the work may
be done without precipitancy or furry.
In this regard l am speaking of the
bourgeoisie, who have an income with
which to live moderately. All these
families live in flats-I am speaking of
Paris life. There is therefore no
sweeping of stairs, no outside work of
any kind. All the floors are polished
by the regular trotteur, who comes
once week or once month, accord
ing to the wear of the floors.
When the families have but one SER
want to do the housework and cooking
they hire woman by the hour for
cleaning, washing windows and doors,
polishing furniture, etc. The price of
such help is about z cents an hour. and
is done by married women who have
not enough work to keep them busy ut
home, and do this to help their hus-
bands to meet expenses. No washing,
no ironing, no baking, no putting up
fruit is ever done in the house. Then
what remains for the servant to do?
The making up of the bedrooms in the
morning, busting, and slightly clean
ing the salon and dining room, keeping
her kitchen clean, going out for pro-
visions, and cooking. All that she
does leisurely, slowly, without fuss OF
furry. If company happens to drop
in, she goes to the caterers for some
extra dish, and company is entertained
as if there were none, which is the only
true way of doing it. As you see,
France is the paradise of servants, and
it is probably for that reason that you
see So few French ones emigrate to
America.
For the work have mentioned above
servant gets from Sc to $15 month
and many perquisites; she has cent
from the traders for every 20 cents
worth she buys; many make much
more by cheating their patrons. On
New Years she receives present of
money in proportion to her wages,
never less than 81 gold piece. All
the guests who are frequently enter
tanned at the house are expected to
give her some etre1afaeS in the shape of
money. Her caps and aprons are pro-
vided by the house; her washing is
paid, and she is allowed so much a
month-generally $2-for wine, if it
is not provided. She never agrees to
rise earlier than z; but she does not
generally go out in the evening, and as
it is customary to dine late, she does
not get through her work until or 10,
and often later. She has no regular
day for going out; once IN while she
will ask for sortie, and it is readily
granted her. For that sortie she is
allowed to dress rs she likes; except
for that occasion she wears the French
servants livery-plain dress skirt,
long and wide blue or white apron,
and white cap. Unfortunately, there
are many who now refuse to wear the
cap; they go about the streets bare
headed. BY law, lady is compelled
to keep servant a week after she has
discharged her, or give her the wages
of an extra week. That class of peo-
pie are supposed to have no home of
their own, and must be given time to
find some other place.